nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, april 10, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (11.988 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top draw on Wednesday with a new two-hour "American Idol" (11.988 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2).

CBS (10.455 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites" (9.145 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T5), "Criminal Minds" (11.288 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.933 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T5).

Next up was ABC (7.087 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) and its lineup of "The Middle" (7.424 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7), "Suburgatory" (5.555 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9), "Modern Family" (10.221 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1), "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (7.311 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4) and "Nashville" (6.005 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.119 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up a new "Dateline NBC" (5.258 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10) followed by repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.000 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11) and "Hannibal" (3.099 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (1.564 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) and "Supernatural" (1.194 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) on The CW (1.379 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
14.29% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
7.14% - Criminal Minds
6.67% - American Idol
5.88% - Nashville
0.00% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
0.00% - The Middle
-5.56% - Suburgatory
-7.32% - Modern Family
-13.79% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
-14.29% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+12.50% - Nashville (vs. Revenge: From the Beginning)
+4.35% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
0.00% - Criminal Minds
-4.00% - Dateline NBC (vs. Betty White's Off Their Rockers/Best Friends Forever)
-4.76% - The Middle
-7.32% - Modern Family
-7.69% - Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites
-13.79% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23)
-19.05% - Suburgatory
-34.69% - American Idol

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/8; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.7/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/11/12):

FOX (16.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with another two-hour edition of "American Idol" (16.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1).

CBS (10.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then took home the silver with its original mix of "Survivor: One World" (9.63 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) - its lowest original rating ever (excluding clip shows and Thanksgiving), "Criminal Minds" (11.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) - tied for its lowest original rating ever.

Next up was ABC (6.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with new episodes of "The Middle" (7.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - tied for its season low, "Suburgatory" (6.11 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T7) - likewise tied for its season low - and "Modern Family" (10.25 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) followed by the debut of "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (6.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4) and the recap special "Revenge: From the Beginning" (5.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.24 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was out of the hunt with its lineup of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (6.16 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9), "Best Friends Forever" (2.94 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (2.75 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.42 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9) - matching its lowest original rating ever.

And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (0.95 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.03 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (0.99 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+4.26% - American Idol
0.00% - Criminal Minds
0.00% - The Middle (vs. 3/14/12)
0.00% - Suburgatory (vs. 3/14/12)
0.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. 2/29/12)
-3.70% - Survivor: One World
-6.82% - Modern Family (vs. 3/14/12)
-11.11% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
-20.69% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-25.00% - Best Friends Forever
-25.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
-28.57% - America's Next Top Model (vs. 3/28/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Minute to Win It)
+40.00% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+16.67% - The Middle
+7.89% - Modern Family
+7.41% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Happy Endings (S))
+6.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-8.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)
-10.00% - Best Friends Forever (vs. Minute to Win It)
-10.34% - Survivor: One World
-11.76% - Criminal Minds
-16.67% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Shedding for the Wedding)
-18.74% - American Idol (vs. American Idol 10/Breaking In)
-21.95% - Revenge: From the Beginning (vs. Happy Endings (10:00)/Modern Family (Repeat))
-40.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market household) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-4) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Source: Nielsen Media Research